I made a PERIODIC TABLE of MODES AND SCALES!!

Here is the ultimate guide to all the most common modes and scales. In this video, you will learn how to build and analyse the modes, get a feeling for each mode's vibe along with emotional and cultural associations, and touch on a couple funkier modes.
0:01 Intro and general concepts
6:16 How to build the modes
8:26 Emotional and cultural associations
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[@noteventhewitness]

The most underrated music teacher channel on the internet. As a music producer who's been falling slightly short on the music theory side of things, you really explain things in such a way that is so easy to digest and comprehend, and it's helping tremendously. Thank you for your presence

[@purpasteur]

Thank you for watching, glad to help

[@Harlem55]

​@@purpasteuryou left out Korean Mode, and Koji Kondo mode.

[@alexxak338]

Agree

[@glueball9511]

Who is this angelic man serving this shit up. Man is setting a new standard for this type of stuff honestly. Concise and devoid of pretension. I appreciate your work, genuinely and think you have a whole career waiting for you with this youtube shit if you keep going like this

[@purpasteur]

what an awesome comment hahaha. much love!

[@multi-purposebiped7419]

Fun fact: If you are in Lydian and raise the only note you haven't altered in any mode, namely the tonic to #1, you've gone the full circle and are back to Locrian, except it's half a tone higher. Similarly, if you are in Locrian and lower the only note you haven't altered in any mode, namely the tonic to b1, you've gone the full circle and are back to Lydian, exept its half a tone lower.

[@ckline]

Another way to find and understand modes: The diatonic scale is generated using a chain of perfect fifths, replicated across octaves. These fifths can be added "up" or "down" from the fundamental tonic pitch. 6 Up 0 Down: Lydian 5 Up 1 Down: Ionian 4 Up 2 Down: Mixolydian 3 Up 3 Down: Dorian 2 Up 4 Down: Aeolian 1 Up 5 Down: Phrygian 0 Up 6 Down: Locrian Also, a fifth "down" is the same as a fourth "up" (minus octaves) and vice versa. This tells you where all your perfect fifths and fourths lie for any mode.

[@purpasteur]

Interesting!! Never thought about it this way

[@spacevspitch4028]

Another fun fact: the harmonic scale (the magical, mystical #4 b7 one at the end) is also the 4th mode of the melodic minor scale.

[@purpasteur]

Cool happy to help!

[@guyedwards22]

You touched on this a little bit, and the example of Within You, Without You is a perfect choice, Mixolydian has the capability of evoking more than just "feeling good" or "powerful", it often has a very spiritual edge to it. Like the energy of the sun shining upon Gaia made manifest, there's some kind of ancient warmth that resonates out of it. The song "Maenam" by Jami Seiber is a wonderful demonstration; it takes a few steps into Dorian and Mixolydian b6 as well, but it's mostly in D Mixolydian

[@purpasteur]

Listening right now, Maenam is great!

[@thutoseane]

I thought I kinda already got what modes were about but this just opened up a whole new level of depth for me. Thanks!

[@purpasteur]

Glad to help, thank you !!

[@tionateingles6915]

Once before I commented "genius" at you. I was not wrong at all. You keep bringing that upper intelligence vibe thing and very polite, zero arrogance. Guess Im a nerd on music/harmony and you are nourishing my studies. Cool channel. Ps: Your sweater is a pure nostalgic diamond.

[@purpasteur]

Thank you so much. Yes I found this shirt in a second hand clothes store. I was so happy 😍

[@VRNocturne]

I love "modal music" and the idea of the strong bass/drone as a sort of canvas to put other melodies/chords over. Much like changing the background colors of an image can change how it's perceived and how the viewer feels about what they are seeing, I think of the drone/bass idea as a similar concept. Glad I found this channel and will be checking out other videos!

[@purpasteur]

Yes it's so much fun to play around with. Thank you for watching

[@TheMatrixofMeaning]

Best way I learned to use the modes was to just play a drone note and play by ear for hours just meditating letting my ear and fingers decide what's going to happen. You eventually just get a feel for what sounds good after what. I no longer have to think about theory at all and just have an inner melodic instinct

[@devinjones5270]

Thanks A periodic table for harmonic major and minor scale would be a cool part 2.

[@defenestrated23]

I dig that you say "et cetera" with the Latin pronunciation. Also awesome perspective on modes!

[@purpasteur]

Haha yeah, it’s just the French way to say it

[@exinated]

You're the music teacher I wished I had when i was learning music 20 years ago. Keep up the good work!

[@ramencafe1]

such a fantastic video man!! honestly learned alot here, thank you very much :)

[@purpasteur]

My pleasure! :)

[@MetalObi666]

you nailed it with this, thanks!👌

[@JayCee-hw4zc]

Whoa! Love your work. Great period table. Love it. Really cool. Thanks heaps.

[@henrycraighenson]

I love the work you do. Thank you.

[@purpasteur]

🙏

[@unoculus]

Wow! Thanks, your a wonderful teacher and have just the right pace and depth of material. We appreciate you in Oakland,CA

[@rareandro]

Well done, great video and such a helpful chart too.

[@user-tp6ib3dd7t]

Incredible, merci beaucoup. Vous avez de grandes qualités pour enseigner sur la toile !

[@chrisSo91]

I like the little "the lick" reference at 4:23

[@josteinbergfjord9385]

Brilliant lesson!

[@exsanguinator1465]

Your videos are really helping me take my guitar playing to another level. Technique is important, but without the tools to understand what's going on, I feel lost when trying to improvise or come up with new stuff. I'll for sure be coming back for more.

[@_Helm_]

excellent explanation, I have had to wrap my head around two different ways to understand the modes a little bit working on it on my own, and you cover both of them and much more. I hope your channel blows up but you keep it normal human teaching interesting thing throughout

[@alekamibeats]

Very useful. Thanks!

[@djbrozer2392]

Mind blowing clarity and simplicity on advance musicality. Thanks

[@balasavenedintulashabalbeoriwe]

I appreciate you, your pattern recognition is phenomenal, as evidenced by this video, which, I suppose, is why you are such a great fit for this work. Not only this but it is one skill to recognize patterns and it is two more skills to organize and communicate them. You have all three.

[@Wilkins325]

Your channel kicks ass bro, please keep going

[@mycofairbanks3321]

OK I am sold. Not only could you serve as a body double for my brother, but you are addressing all my questions about music. Subscribed and notified.

[@CookieChipChocolate]

I came across your channel yesterday and went through all your lessons. Although I play guitar and I am a bit familiar with basic theory, your way of explaining and organizing these concepts is brilliant and makes these seemingly abstract things make so much sense. Love your channel dude, keep up the great work! Dig the original music too! Thank you for all your hard work in sharing this with us!

[@purpasteur]

It's a real pleasure, thank you for commenting 🙏

[@N-VAMusic]

This is still incredibly confusing to me but i think with a couple rewatches i will eventually get it. Thank you for your work!

[@purpasteur]

It is. Play with them on an instrument and the eureka moment will come

[@mtsanga3421]

Quite interesting video. Thanks a lot !

[@djjjesse]

This is the best explanation I have ever heard! You're explanation has made music theory click for me. Really love the content, and especially your attitude towards all of it! Keep it going man, can't wait to see more of your work, and can't wait to see this channel grow!

[@purpasteur]

Happy to read that!!

[@AIIRO4]

Thank you very much for these videos!

[@Miraduel]

your videos are phenomenal!!

[@JayDeePiano]

+1 subscriber here! Your videos bring eureka moments to us musicians! Continue your musical craft and I believe your channel is bound for greatness in time. 💯👍

[@klfdqjmqboiklnkq]

I like your approach on the music lessons playlist. You should do more of these. Interesting thoughts.

[@betterdaybydaywtc]

Thanks. I never understood why there were modes, and now I do!

[@nomannic1]

You're an incredible teacher!

[@LuisBurke]

Good man, thhank you so much for this :) Listening right now YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

[@ericleary5931]

I subscribed! I have been working with modes as a focus lately. This was the break through approach for me. I have transcribed your table into my own notebook and drilled on this at the piano with your approach. I reccomend staying away from C as the scale root to start when at the piano. I like to use Gflat, B, Bflat to learn this particular schema on the piano. I expect to exercise regularly on all 12 notes because this schema is so natural for my neurons to map the relationships. (yikes, neurons? map!) Modes have been a lot easier to learn on bass, but the piano is where I can relate the modes to chords/harmony. picture of head exploding. THANKS PUR PASTEUR. I will be watching more and listening to your music. I have been failing to operationalize the stacked fifth scale (George Russell? can't remember) in my playing and seeing you present the 'acoustic' scale just broke that wide open for me as well. Yeah.

[@purpasteur]

Yay super cool! Happy to help! Yeah never read the George Russell book but I should haha

[@JamsODonnell100]

Wow - just wow! I should shut up and watch this again, and again…and again… So much information. Brilliant! Just going to watch it again…

[@ballmoniyy]

Great explanation

[@NiiicBlack]

Your videos have really helped me make some mental breakthroughs when it comes to music theory! It doesn’t come super natural to me so I really appreciate these lessons

[@purpasteur]

Happy to read this!!

[@els1f]

I feel like modes are one of those portions of a game that are blocked off at first, but then it opens and you realize you've been playing right next to it the whole time. Plus, your image of the world of the game becomes wider. It's so simple, but it pulls you into the "why" of things and the history of how we got here. I love the way you explain things! I've been playing music and learning for decades, but I will ALWAYS sit through an explanation of basics because i learn something every time- or it reminds me of something i forgot. For example, when you said at 3:25 about how the brain perceives sound as referencing the fundamental, it reminded me a ton of things in the corner of my brain that i hadn't thought about in a while. Like, how we're so good at this that is you remove the fundamental, we'll basically create it in our head. Being in a human brain is a beautiful nightmare🤣🤣 Edit: also, the way you explained the harmonic and melodic minor was SO obvious! I've always heard it explained in these incredibly boring and immediately forgettable "it's called that just because, so friggin remember it" ways lol

[@purpasteur]

Thank you!! glad to trigger some old new ideas :)

[@djmileski]

Excellent explanation. Well done

[@michaelrg3836]

That's very clever and visual.

[@shpaklius1]

Great vid, its good to remember modes and I especially like the referance music you play. Dorian might be the funkiest scale/mode ever, try with a bass 🪘

[@B0K1T0]

Very clear but still deep enough summary! Since I was a little boy I've always wanted to know the "why" behind stuff and most often frustrated when that wasn't part of the lesson. So think it's quite a skill to teach in such an explanatory way as you do. I know a fair share of music theory but it was really interesting to hear your thoughts about it, which gave me new insights. So I very much appreciate!

[@purpasteur]

Really happy to help

[@MrSlimfinger]

Mr, these videos are absolutely brilliant and would also work incredibly well in a podcast format. I personally prefer to consume material like this in an audio format only. But it’s not that important. There’s a brilliance and clarity to the way you describe musical concepts which makes them inspiring and exciting to learn more about.

[@purpasteur]

Hey thank you. I'm considering to start a podcast in 2024. Thank you for the kind words.

[@MrSlimfinger]

@@purpasteur looking forward to many more videos / podcasts! I like how you’re currently focusing on fundamentals and giving your fresh take on it all. Personally I’m at a place where I’m able to understand most basic concepts at a theoretical level, no problems dissecting a chord or seeing the relationship between chords in a progression, but the flow simply isn’t there. Maybe it’s lack of inspiration or simply inexperience, but I wish I had some exercises or structures in place that would aid in getting new ideas flowing. Some boundaries to explore within, you know what I’m saying? Perhaps this might give you an idea for a future topic!

“It’s going down!!” Internet is Phrygian 😂

[@Oddity12]

Another good one 💪🏻💪🏻

[@pocketdweller3771]

That forest analogy tho 🔥

[@WinItReigns]

Dope shirt man

[@mosesmckinney1373]

I’d love to see something like this but extended

[@KalebPeters99]

Working on it! 🤞🤞

[@ross3818]

Scale and mode. My brain grasps "modes" as "starting points" on a single scale.

[@purpasteur]

Yes this is one way to see it! The other is to see modes as alterations of a normal scale on a fixed fundamental

[@ross3818]

@@purpasteur Yes. The video was very informative. I haven't entirely grasped your approach. I must watch it again and pause more often. So keeping C as root, from G (Lydian) moving counter-clockwise through the circle of fourths, flatting consecutively the 4th, 7th, 3rd, 6th, 2nd, (and finally on D flat) the 5th, covers all the modes. Skipping the keys in the circle (ie G, F, B flat, etc) gives the consecutive order of the modes: Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian, flatted 7, then 6, then 5. And jumping over to Ionian there's Ionian Dorian Phrygian, flatted 4, 3, 2.

[@astrophileaudiophile4100]

Kindly Make more video dear Sir...These videos are Gem🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻❤ Love from India🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

[@KalebPeters99]

This is truly amazing work, Nathan! I've been working on something similar to a "periodic table of scales" for a while now, and this is a really useful way to frame the most common ones! I wonder how you'd extend it beyond 7note scales, including diminished or bebop scales etc? 🤔 Love your work! Subscribed 😁

[@purpasteur]

Thank you Kaleb, yes an 'advanced' version of this video could be interesting to do

[@KalebPeters99]

I tagged you in a tweet that could serve as some food for thought 🤷 It's built around my somewhat esoteric visualisation system but I think you might dig it 👀🤞

[@robo3007]

Interestingly I've always associated myxolydian with more sad and somber sounding music. Songs like "Clocks" and "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay, "The Tourist" and "Burn the Witch" by Radiohead, "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve and "This is a Low" by Blur.

[@purpasteur]

Yes one of the progressions that can be somber in mixo is I going to minor V . which you get in clocks and the tourist, and others. If you get bVii going to I though, it's generally uplifting, in my view. Good call!

[@antoniohillario9770]

FYI: A shortcut to determine what the parent scale of a mode is, is the same method used to notate the key signature of a song. That is, how many sharps or flats there are. For example, G Mixolydian has no sharps or flats so obviously C Major is its parent scale. C Dorian has two flats. Therefore, the parent scale of C Dorian is Bb. C Phrygian has 4 flats, so its parent scale is Ab. All six modes, Dorian thru Locrian can be tracked back to their parent Ionian scale this way.

[@purpasteur]

Yes absolutely, I think i should make a video on : how to find the key of a song

[@antoniohillario9770]

@@purpasteur This is another reason to know the circle of 5ths.

[@giuseppedominici7097]

beautifully said. And by the way very much the same approach I came up with 30+ years ago on my own. that was before everything was available on the internet, all I knew was major and minor scale patterns learned in middle school.. Then I ran into the fancy greek names, and YES, they were presented like scales TOO. You dare not call a mode a scale on the internet these days...🙂

[@outtathyme5679]

Super interesting

[@klfdqjmqboiklnkq]

Perhaps you can do a video on borrowed chords and modulations. Your personal ideas, not the theory. For instance I like to play a dominant chord before going a 4th above (or precede any chord by a 5th below). Or progress from major IV to minor iv. Works like a charm. With dim7 and augmented you can also do some neat things. I'm sure you have ideas of your own.

[@guimeph]

TY Mr. Mustache!

[@Thatboybewhat]

I haven’t even finished the video yet and I know this is the most important music theory video I’ll ever watch ☻

[@Thatboybewhat]

Nah you just broke my brain with the Lydian -> #4 -> C -> G correlation 😭

[@purpasteur]

You're close to the Eureka moment, don't give up

[@AntonioBrandao]

It’s amazing how well you seem to explain and how I still understand nothing

[@purpasteur]

Hahaha oh no

[@jteichma]

So much fun, thanks! I feel a little lost, like in calculus class, but that’s ok😅

[@esteban.r11]

I thought Mixolydian flat 6th was gonna be your secret Pokemon!

[@purpasteur]

Yes it's pretty cool as well :)

[@mhugman99]

Excellent and very clear explanation! I feel like there is a hidden psychological dimension to modes that you touched on but there is more to it. The connection with the drone note makes a lot of sense. But what happens when after establishing that drone, or priming the listeners ear, you take it away and continue with the same melodic scale? The mode established with the drone continues even though it’s no longer there, right? And there is nothing currently happening at that point in time saying it is that mode, it could be any of the others. But the memory of the previous drone note affects how we perceive the same set of notes. Therefore, modes ARE perception, are they not? Kind of in the eye of the beholder? There’s nothing saying even that with a D drone note under a C major scale, that this is D Dorian. It could just be C Ionian that just happens to have a raised bass note for more tension. Is that tension resolved or no? I think that is key to our perception of mode. When you have a V I cadence the tension from the Mixolydian V is immediately resolved in the I, so while technically, in isolation, Mixolydian was used just over that V chord, our ear overall hears Ionian, because we returned to the tonal center of gravity. I think that the I as tonal center is also a psychological phenomenon, years of cultural priming. The vi is kind of like the magnetic opposite pole, it also has its own gravity. But “modal” music - that is playing with all the other modes except Ionian and aeolian - amounts to a “suspension” of musical gravity from the perspective of our ears. It’s a trick that only works insofar as we maintain that suspension and don’t resolve it to the expected I or vi. But maybe this is how we’re programming our minds, slowly to create other tonal centers of gravity. The more you listen to a certain mode the more natural it’s altered tonal center sounds, and the less it sounds like a suspension from the normal tonal center I think. I think that even Locrian, with all its dissonance and difficulty, would be perceived as a new tonal center if we played in it enough! Anyway those are my thoughts, really enjoying your videos!

[@purpasteur]

Yes, this is super interesting. Like 2 levels of gravity, the temporary modal one, and the general cultural one because of our tonal brainwash. It's a nice picture of what's happening. Also, it is possible to establish a mode without a drone note, simply by repeating this note often, or using it as the resting point of melodies, which will trick the brain. Thank you for your input !!!

[@Acolytemedia]

This is an excellent video explaination. I think if you changed up your location a bit or used a bit more visual interest youd get even more engaging videos. But from an educational standpoint. Its excellent work. Im gonne be following your channel to see where it goes. I wish you all the luck in the world friend :) ❤

[@purpasteur]

Great feedback!! Thank you!

[@benwhitaker5802]

Another amazing video! Can you make a video on how to use Lydian dominant i compositions/improvising, both from harmonic and melodic perspective?

[@purpasteur]

Yes it's not the easiest to use because the chords it produces are quite strange :) actually it's an inversion of the melodic minor mode, which I could have mentioned

[@Ithirahad]

Not only does it make funky chords, it's sadly resistant to any sort of solo melodic noodling because without a harmonic context, I find it souds like the tonal centre "should" be on the fifth degree rather than the first, forming a regular harmonic minor that just starts and stops on the "wrong" note. With melodic minor, harmonic minor, major, and double harmonic major, and to some extent with natural minor, things naturally gravitate towards the tonic. ...On the other hand, WITH some basic accompaniment and chords, it's not all that hard to make it sound really neat.

[@purpasteur]

Exactly, i totally agree@@Ithirahad

[@Bdynysus]

Bro did this for free 🤘🏾

[@nicketaevani-fzukunf007]

I remember someone also made a chart that has over 90 heptatonic modes.

[@Eliyan213]

Amazing videoo

[@cstar666]

Excellent content and form. Thank you.

[@greenatom]

I thought "Within You, Without You" was Locrian. The first line "We were talk-ing" is 1 2b 3b 5b (which, I realize as I play it, is also that repeating figure in Led Zeppelin's "Four Sticks")

[@purpasteur]

Yes except the first note is actually the 3rd :)

[@greenatom]

@@purpasteur Ah, OK. Thanks!

[@jacksonaguilar1998]

Wow! This is one of the best tool any musician or music writer can have. I'm so lucky I found your channel, man! I love your work. I wish your channel growth and success. Thank you for sharing good Sir! 🙌

[@purpasteur]

Thank you for the kind words !!

[@aeterna5]

youre awesome

[@douglasmayersanchez2870]

Great video !What i still dont understand is, lets say i habe a chord progression I vi IV V. How do i alternate this progression to a mode? How can i approach playing over it with different options

[@purpasteur]

It depends on the harmonic rhythm, or speed at which the chords change. If they change very fast, I would suggest playing a melody in a global mode for the 4 chords. But if you linger for some time on each chord, then you could exploit each chord's distinctive mode and it's characteristics

[@tyler361t2]

1:20 a mode is a scale derived from another scale

[@djmileski]

Maybe that’s why the dominant chord is used a lot in jazz- aka mixolydian

[@tyler361t2]

i forget but did you cover the scale degree names? maybe it wouldve been good to add a note that the seven is usually "subtonic" but gets coverted to a leading tone

[@joshhigh5538]

Wow just the name alone

[@Bansenshukai9]

Nice video. More importantly, where did you get your sweater(???) 😂😂😂 - Seriously, where’d you get it(???)

[@purpasteur]

Hahaha in a friperie, I don't know the name in English, like second hand clothes store

[@paaao]

Anyone have a good place to download PDFs of all these scales/modes as sheet music? The little clippings placed on screen are a huge help, but I need a simple book with em all.

[@purpasteur]

I would also like to find this resource

[@ramonacosta2647]

The darkest scale of all is derived from taking the major scale and flattening all 7 notes.

[@purpasteur]

You'll just end up with another major scale

[@ramonacosta2647]

@@purpasteur So the major scale is the darkest of all scales.

[@GFJDean35]

Wonderful video! Don't really see how it is a periodic table though...

[@Magneticballoon]

This is the ultimate and highest level of lecturing on the whole internet. Thank you for presenting this treasure to us.

[@purpasteur]

Thank you, happy to share!!

[@Mr.Nichan]

Skip to 20:41 if you just want to see the tree.

[@pedrocatoira2695]

❤

[@tyler361t2]

17:02 ireland is not in the UK

[@weakw1ll]

20:55 OHHHHHHHHHHH

[@Zothiqueness]

Please tell me where you got that shirt.

[@purpasteur]

Second-hand clothes store haha

[@Mooseboy08]

5:02 "Eolian" mode?

[@elrondhubbard9127]

I think it's a typo??

[@dimitar205]

In the post-soviet bloc the difference between mode and scale is strictly defined: a scale is all the notes of the mode ARRANGED by pitch 🤣

[@purpasteur]

Interesting !! Well it's not crazy

[@spocksmusic]

Eolian is French for Aeolian.

[@djmileski]

So what and impressions are also Dorian

[@jirehmi9183]

Aeolian or Eolian? aka Asaveri in Indian Classical.

[@purpasteur]

I think both are legit, in french we use Éolien

[@krekcabnow2910]

Tell me you watch David Bennett without telling me you watch David Bennett

[@Kamil-wr5fb]

[@INeedsMoneys]

Helo. You have mustache. Thank you. 👍